Steroid use in baseball…what’s new?

If you haven’t heard, another Major League Baseball (MLB) doping scandal has broken out.

What a surprise.

The anti-aging clinic in South Florida, Biogenesis has been linked with a handful of MLB players, supplying them with performing enhancing drugs over the past few years. The MLB has launched a full out investigation of the program and is currently in the process of suspending the players who have used the steroids. A new doping case shouldn't be unexpected news to the devoted MLB fan, since it has become a regular occurrence over the past several seasons.  

Just recently Ryan Braun, the National League’s most valuable player 2 years ago was banned for 65 games without pay for his use of drugs.  

It seems like baseball has taken the worst blows from legendary icons using performance enhancing drugs of any sort. From slugger Barry Bonds (who still denies his steroid-use to this day) to Roger Clemons and Manny Ramirez, the MLB has continued its battle with doping scandals over its history.    

Currently on the Biogenesis hot seat is Alex Rodriguez, one of the icons of the sport and poster-boy of the New York Yankees, the most valuable team in the league. A-Rod, who just turned 38, has been sidelined with a quad injury and has been working his way back to health. Now he is trying to maintain his innocence as he makes his return to the New York Yankees Monday night against the Chicago White Sox.

The MLB are expected to make a statement on Monday which will suspend Rodriguez through the end of the 2014 season without pay.  A-Rod currently has $96 million left on his contract with the Yankees, but would lose $34 million should he be suspended. Rodriguez, however has said that he will appeal the ruling.   

And on the eve of the announcement by the MLB, I say good luck to A-Rod with his appeal, because it’s not going to get far.  Just look at other athletes who have fought allegations of their performance-enhancing drugs use.

Cyclists Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis were recently stripped of all their Tour de France titles. Sprinters Marian Jones and Ben Johnson were both found to have doped during their careers and were forced to give up their accolades as well.  

MLB fans will have to see how this Biogenesis mess turns out, but in the meantime, let’s not focus on one player’s future, but the sport’s future in fighting drug abuse.